Nuclear – Temperature control

THE GOAL

Provide temperature and humidity control equipment.

THE CONTEXT

Request for supply of temperature and humidity control equipment

Our customer called on us to supply temperature and humidity control equipment for a confined space where specific welding operations were planned.

The tests are crucial, as they enable us to reproduce these same conditions for future projects linked to Nuclear Power Plants (CNPE), where strict safety and quality standards must be met.

THE CHALLENGE

Precise temperature and humidity control

Maintain a constant 23°C with 35% relative humidity throughout the year to meet the specific requirements of the welding process, which also requires a total absence of air movement.

In order to guarantee optimum control, whatever the season, equipment must be sized to meet seasonal needs. This means conditioning the space to prevent draughts, while maintaining the required thermal and hygrometric conditions.

In other words, when it comes to meeting the needs of a space in both winter and summer, it’s essential to correctly size the equipment to enable effective regulation. This means designing a system that maintains constant temperature and humidity, while ensuring that no unwanted air movement is generated in the space, particularly during welding operations.

THE TIBBLOC SOLUTION

The rental includes a range of equipment for effective environmental control:

• A 50 kW chiller
• Two air handling units with a flow rate of 10,000 m³/h each
• A 40 kW electric boiler
• As well as an electronically controlled hygrostat

The combination of a cooling unit to extract humidity from the air, combined with an electronically controlled hygrostat equipped with a remote sensor.

Air circulation is managed by Air Handling Units (AHUs), while heating is provided by an electric boiler controlled by a remote temperature sensor.

To precisely adjust the proportions of hot and cold air, the AHUs’ three-way valves are used.

Finally, for even air distribution, the air is diffused through a micro-perforated duct, helping to improve overall ambient air quality.

THE BENEFITS

Pilot tests for our customer, who will be asked to carry out these specific welds directly on the power plant.

Pilot testing is a crucial stage in the production of specific welds for nuclear power plants. They are used to test and validate the welding technique used, and to check the quality of the weld produced.

These tests are often carried out for customers who wish to carry out welding directly on the CNPE (Centre Nucléaire de Production d’Électricité).

Our partner and our transport, logistics and installation teams provided the customer with a temporary connection to the grid.